Trust Issue (Dresden Files, Marcone/Dresden)

Harry nearly ran into the black sedan as it screeched to a halt on the road in front of him. It was both an odd and inconvenient place for a car to appear. Odd because this part of the park wasn’t known for its traffic. In his mind, dark nights, deserted parks, and black sedans didn’t go together. Apparently someone else thought they did, which mean Harry would now have to go around the car. That was the inconvenient part. You had to drive well off the main road to get back here, which is precisely why Harry had parked here. Well, somewhere around here. He wasn’t entirely sure where he had left his car but had a feeling that he was running in vaguely the right direction.

The rear passenger-side door opened. A familiar face leaned out, looking slightly annoyed. “Get in,” Gentleman Marcone ordered.

Harry was momentarily conflicted. He looked back over his shoulder at the enraged monster that had been chasing him. It’d gained a disconcerting amount of ground as he wavered next to the car, and getting closer every second he stood still. He looked at the car and the well-dressed mobster that was holding the door open for him. It was hard to tell which was the more dangerous option.

The creature howled suddenly, an unearthly sound that cut straight up his spine and made his bones feel like jelly. Harry reacted without thinking. He fell into the car, landing half on Marcone. The mobster slammed the door shut and then leaned back into his own seat. Less than a second later, the car sped off. He debated putting on a seatbelt but that seemed like far too much effort at the moment. He wasn’t quite sure he had the kind of motor skills needed to manage that.

The beast howled as its prey escaped.